Every Patient is Unique

Every patient is unique. Human bodies, disease states, and drug therapies are extremely complex. Drug discovery and development process is long, complicated and very expensive. Drugs are developed to ensure overall safety and therapy benefits for a given population(s). This generalization is the best pharmaceutical research can do and it works well for the most cases – but not for every single patient. Fortunately, the promise of pharmacogenetic testing can help address some of those aspects as it allows us to predict if and how well a certain patient will respond to a medication. This information helps the prescriber and pharmacist to assess, in select cases, what dose and what medication is appropriate for a given patient. That is precision medication and prescribing.

How Does Precision Medication Work?

It is a non-invasive test whereby a buccal swab is collected at TIB and sent for analysis. Results of the test are explained to the patient in a one-to-one meeting with the pharmacist (in-person or over the phone as per patient’s preference). The pharmacist then discusses the results with the prescriber (if permitted by the patient) and therapy is adjusted/modified as necessary. This is once-in-lifetime test and patient is provided with a wallet-card to be presented to new the prescriber or emergency room – enabling them to prescribe the right drug at the right dose. Currently, this test covers more than 200 prescription and OTC drugs used for pain, heart, diabetes, cancer, psychiatric, neurologic, digestive, infective and other conditions. Call TIB to discuss if you have any questions.